Google's AI music generator MusicLM has impressed listeners. Can you tell if these tunes were created by humans or an algorithm?

Human creativity was once thought to be protected from major improvements in artificial intelligence technology, but new generative AI systems are already competing with the imaginations of our most creative individuals, including musicians. Google's AI research project MusicLM has impressed listeners in the past few weeks, since it debuted its ability to turn simple text prompts into music that can sometimes be almost indistinguishable from works created by humans. Musician and University of New South Wales associate professor Oliver Bown says while AI-generated music is improving, there are still some telltale signs that audio is created by an algorithm and not a person, including: Grainy sound Time warping and general "wonkiness" Inaudible vocals Lyrics that don't make sense What does AI mean for the future of music? Dr Bown says while music made by humans is usually more refined and has clearer shifts in energy or momentum, AI can sometimes do quirky and interesting things, such as complex guitar solos and drum fills, that make it harder to tell AI audio apart from the real thing. Creative opportunities for artists, but also copyright concerns Dr Bown says that as AI systems improve and become publicly available, we are likely to see more musical artists use them for inspiration.